65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_007

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Source of Reports
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The majority of reports of aerial phonomena havo come from civilians.
About
8 percent come from. civil airlines pilots, whilo approximately 25 percent are
reported by military personnel. Reports have boen received also from highly
qualified scientists, Although primary significance is attached to reports from
qualified observers, there is no intention to discredit untrained observers.
Radar Sightings
The Air Force has r eceived many r eports of unusual images on radar scopes.
It is fairly well established that some of these images are ground objects
reflected from a layer of warm air above the earth (a temperature inversion) .
Temperature inver sion r eflections can give a r eturn on a radar scope that
is as sharp as that received from an aircraft,
Speed ranges of theso r eturns
are reportedly from zero to fantastic speeds.
The "objects" also appear to move
in all directions,
Such radar sightings have resulted in hundreds of fruitless inter cept
efforts.
One scientific theory holds that light can bo similarly reflected from a
layer of warm air above the earth and, if proven to be correct, this could
account for some visual sightings.
Bearing out the theory of temperature inversion reflection is o.n incident
which occurred in January 1951 near Oakridge, Tennoesoo.
Two Air Force aircraft
attempted to intercept an unidentified "object" and actually established a radar
'~lock" on tho object,
Their altitude at the time was 7,000 feet.
The unidentifiel
object, according to their radar, appoarod to be at an elevati on of ton to 25
degrees , Three pusses were made in an attempt t o clooe on the object. In ouch
instance the pilots reported that their radar l ed thom first upward and then
down toward a specific point on the ground.
Ionized clouds ar e believed to be the causo of some unidontifiod radar
retu;rns , Thunderstorm activity is identifiable by radar, o.nd radar is used for
the purpose of avoiding thunderstorms, In addition, radar has picked up many
objects first reported as "unidentified phenomena" which were later identified
as aircraft, birds, balloons, ice formations in tho air, or other known aerial
obJocts or manifestations.
Policy Regarding Attempted Interception
No orders have been ~seued by the Air Defense Commo.nd t o its fighter unite
to fire on unidentified aerial phenomena, The Air Defense Command is charged
with air defense of the United States, and its mission is to attack anything
airborne which io m,wn or oppooro to be boot1le. Thio ctioul.i oot bo i nt-Orproted
to goon toot o~ piloto will nro hnpbnBOl'Oly on nnyth1nc t,hat flies.
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